Our Process

SETTING PROPER EXPECTATIONS IS PART OF GOOD COMMUNICATION.

At Bundle, we are deeply committed to ensuring your satisfaction and the successful completion of your project. While we provide a standard process outline, it's important to recognize that construction projects, including solar panel installations, can bring unforeseen challenges, as you may have experienced when working with contractors in the past. The state of California encompasses numerous cities, municipalities, and utility districts, each with its own set of regulations and inspections.

Rest assured, we bring a wealth of expertise to the table, with a track record of over 800 successful solar panel installations. We've honed our skills to tackle any unexpected issues that may arise. Just as you prefer to avoid surprises, so do we, which is why transparency is integral to our approach. We are fully committed to guiding your project to its successful completion, ensuring a smooth and reliable journey every step of the way.

Step 1: Consultation

Once you request a consultation, a Bundle representative will quickly confirm it and introduce themselves. We suggest choosing a time that suits all decision-makers for better communication. During the consultation, your representative will:

  • Assess your home, covering topics like panel placement and utility connections.

  • Discuss your energy goals and options.

  • Guide you through choosing the right solution and designing your solar system, considering factors like panel placement and potential savings.

  • Help you foresee future energy needs.

  • Provide a proposal, including system design and savings estimates.

Our main goal is to provide you with the info you need to decide on solar energy. Once you decide and sign a contract, we'll move on to the next steps.

Step 2: Site Survey

The initial phase of your solar journey involves a detailed site survey of your residence. This in-person appointment is essential for collecting a range of data points to ensure the precise design and installation of a solar system tailored to your home's specific needs. During the survey, we focus on three primary areas: your roof, your attic, and your home's electrical system.

  • Roof Assessment: We conduct a thorough examination of your roof, including taking comprehensive photos to assess its current condition and suitability for solar panel installation. This examination allows us to determine the ideal locations for installing the solar arrays, ensuring maximum energy production.

  • Attic Inspection: Inside your attic, we take precise measurements and photographs of the roof support and rafters. This step ensures that the structural integrity of your roof can support the solar system for its entire lifespan, providing a secure and long-lasting installation.

  • Electrical System Evaluation: Our team reviews your home's electrical system, encompassing the utility meter, main service panel, and any subpanels that may be present on your property. As your solar panels will generate electricity to power your home and potentially feed excess energy back to the utility grid, we ensure that your electrical system is in compliance with local codes and fully capable of seamlessly accommodating this new power source.

Once this comprehensive survey is complete, Bundle will move forward with designing and obtaining the necessary permits for a custom solar system perfectly tailored to your home.

Step 3: Final Design

Our Design and Engineering team utilizes proprietary software, 3D modeling, and the extensive data gathered during our site survey to create a customized solar system design for your home. This design will be shared with you, providing a clear visualization of how the system will appear upon installation.

During this stage, we prioritize not only the visual aesthetics but also the optimization of your solar system's potential energy production. We understand the importance of reducing your power bills while ensuring that the system seamlessly integrates with your home. Striking a balance between form and function is our commitment.

Step 4: Permits & Paperwork

After finalizing the design phase, Bundle proactively takes charge of submitting your solar system design to both your local building department and utility company. We prioritize close collaboration with these key stakeholders to ensure a smooth and efficient process for obtaining all the required permits and approvals. This means you can comfortably sit back and look forward to your upcoming installation, knowing that all the necessary administrative tasks are being expertly handled on your behalf.

Periodically, your utility provider may be required to conduct a brief site visit, as instructed by the building department, referred to as a meter spot, to assess the condition of your utility meter. This essential step ensures the safe integration of your new PV system with their grid. It's important to note that this service is entirely free and is conducted to gain a better understanding of the electrical conditions in your home.

Rest assured that the utility company has been instructed to make contact by phone or knock on your door before arriving, and you can anticipate a call from their service representative. A meter spot can take anywhere between 3-8 weeks from the moment the city instructs the utility company to provide a meter spot.

Step 5: Install

With the completion of the design and permitting phase, it's time to move forward with the installation of your solar system. The main event in this process is when we will reach out to you to schedule the installation day. On that day, our team will come to your home to deliver and set up your solar power system.

Typically, the installation is a one or two day project that begins in the morning. Our technicians will commence by installing the necessary rails, racking optimizers, and panels on your roof, and they will run conduits down to the inverter, typically located on the exterior of your home. Once the system is connected to your main service panel, we will tidy up and conclude the day's work. While the heavy lifting is complete, your solar system won't be ready to be activated just yet.

Step 6: City Inspection

Now that your solar system has been successfully installed, the next important step involves obtaining approval from your local city or county permitting authority. This approval confirms that the system has been installed safely and in accordance with the approved plans we initiated at the beginning of the process.

Upon receiving a scheduled inspection date from the city, we will promptly reach out to you to coordinate the inspection visit. There may be forms that require your signature, and the inspector may need access to your home during the inspection. To ensure a smooth process, we kindly request that someone over the age of 18 is available whenever possible.

It's worth noting that we may not always have advanced notice of the inspector's arrival time, but rest assured, we will be on-site ahead of time to ensure we are present when the inspector arrives. During the inspection, the inspector will thoroughly examine the solar panels, inverter, wiring, disconnects, and other components of the system to verify that everything complies with the established standards.

Upon successful completion of the inspection and the inspector's signature on the permit card, we will proceed to the final step.

Step 7: Permission to Operate (PTO)

Following the inspector's approval of the installation, the subsequent phase entails submitting the approved permit card to your utility company to acquire the essential Permission to Operate (PTO). It's worth emphasizing that we've already obtained your net metering approval during the design and permitting stages, which streamlines this part of the process, making it a relatively quick and efficient step toward the activation of your solar system.

Step 8: Flip The Switch

With all the essential paperwork completed and the necessary approvals obtained, the final step is to activate your solar system. Typically, we leave the inverter in standby mode during the installation, enabling us to remotely initiate the system's operation with a straightforward button press. Once activated, you will receive a link that grants you access to monitor your system's performance online. This convenient monitoring capability offers you the assurance that your solar system is operating as intended, delivering efficient energy production and ensuring peace of mind.